HC Deb 12 July 1888 vol 328 cc1075-6
MR. CLANCY (Dublin Co., N.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that the Lord Lieutenant has invited the Orangemen of North Down to hold a meeting on the 12th instant in His Excellency's demesne at Mountsteward, near Newtownards; whether his land agent, Mr. Brownlow, when laying the foundation stone of an Orange Hall in County Down, declared that the Irish struggle would soon be removed from the floor at Westminster to the arbitrament of the field; whether Mr. Brownlow was shortly afterwards appointed to the Commission of the Peace; whether he will be one of the magistrates in charge at Mountsteward on the 12th instant; and, whether the Government approve of the conduct of the Lord Lieutenant and of his agent in this regard?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

I have no information, I am afraid, on the subject of this Question at all.

MR. CLANCY

This Question was put on the Notice Paper two or three days ago, giving plenty of time for the right hon. Gentleman to get the information. My opinion is that the House will expect an answer.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I think, if the hon. Gentleman will look at the Question, he will see that my action was perfectly justifiable. The Lord Lieutenant has a perfect right, if he chooses, to invite anybody to go into his park without my having cognizance of it, or without my being obliged to inquire into the cir- cumstances of it. In the second paragraph of the Question, the hon. Gentleman asks whether Mr. Brownlow made certain statements. He neither mentions the place nor the date of the alleged occurrence. The question of the Commission of the Peace rests with the Lord Chancellor. I am not aware that there was any magistrate in charge on the 12th instant, and I must not be called on to express an opinion.

MR. CLANCY

The right hon. Gentleman states I gave him no Notice in reference to the second paragraph. A Question in relation to this very matter was addressed to the right hon. Gentleman last Session, and he was unable to deny it.